the offer of Trial models is growing exponentially in the market, there is no such thing as the perfect bike, much less a bike with settings according to our build and riding style. Then, when it comes to investing in improving our bike, we opt for aesthetic details in order to gain lightness or differentiation. However, what is really important, although it sounds like a cliché, is what is not seen.
The motorcycles you can find in dealerships They are designed for a rider with high technical skills and an average weight of around 70 kilos. If this isn’t your profile, Maybe you’re adapting to the behavior of the bike, and not the other way around. In other words, adapt the bike to your needs. With this you can hinder the efficiency of your riding, punish the suspensions excessively by making stops and taking advantage of only a small part of their travel, or on the contrary, that it works below its possibilities in riders with low weight.
To answer this great enigma, the Trialworld test team has travelled to Unquera (Cantabria) to talk to an expert in the field such as Benjamín Torres, director of Torre Motor. The first thing Benjamin advises us is to evaluate if our suspensions drop the correct height when we get behind the controls: “The fork should drop 3 centimeters and the shock 5 centimeters. First we measured this distance when we got off the bike and then we got on with all the equipment on.” If it descends more than indicated, in the case of a Marzocchi fork , for example, in the bottle with the red cap we would have to squeeze to give it more spring, since it would be very soft for our weight, and do the reverse operation if it descends less than indicated.
In the case of the rear shock absorber, we would be talking about 5 centimeters compared to the resting position. If this is not the case, we would attack the nut to give more or less spring. If it goes lower, we would tighten the nut and if it goes less we would loosen it.
Adjusting these settings can bring us closer to a correct set-up for each of us. However, we prefer the attractive preparation proposed by Torre Motor, which is also very accessible to all audiences:
*Suspension adjustment for our weight and riding style.
*Includes replacing the oil with one with the optimal density.
*Scratch repair, seal cleaning or replacement if required.
*Adjustment of the internal cartridges.
To evaluate the changes judiciously, Trialworld has prepared the suspensions of its official test in Torre Motor and the result has been more than satisfactory: “We checked, as before adapting the suspensions, that when we rest the wheel on a stone, the rebound of the suspension moves us backwards and thus gives us instability. After the change, on the same stone, we make the support and when it collides with it absorbs the blow and the bike feels much more stable.
When you make a change, the bike falls to the ground and stays in place. We noticed more stability, a vital factor in trial, as this will translate into fewer feet.”
Regardless of the set-up of each rider, it is advisable to carry out periodic maintenance that can be summed up in five simple steps:
*Remove air from the front fork; We loosen the air decompression screw and tighten it again when it comes out completely.
*Alignment of the bottles: At the bottom they are anchored to the wheel axle, it is normal for them to receive blows and become misaligned. To get them back in perfect condition, we must loosen the 4 screws that hold the front fin to the forks and the screws that hold the bottles to the wheel axle by 2 turns.
*With everything loose we will “bounce” the front wheel so that the forks return to their original position
.
*Subsequently, we tighten all the screws.
*Carbon fork covers, protect the forks from shocks at the bottom (available in the JITSIE catalog)
The price of the Engine Tower preparation for the fork is 90 euros, shipping included. For the shock absorber, please enquire.
For more information and details, call 942 719 512 or torremotor@gmail.com
Text: Chema Quer / Photos: Trialworld
